Supported Site
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse: Program Data

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

The project collects data on the number of PhysTEC Graduates, PhysTEC Future Teachers, PhysTEC Learning Assistants, and PhysTEC Mentors; these PhysTEC terms are defined here. The project also collects data on physics pedagogy courses, early teaching experiences, and enrollment in K-8 physical science courses for future elementary school teachers.

PhysTEC Graduates (Years funded 2012-2015)

Baseline

Project Funded

Year -2

Year -1

Year 0

Year 1

Year 2

1

0

1

3

2

Commentary on Secondary Graduates data: There are two key ways that students can be certified to teach high school physics at UW-La Crosse: a major in Physics Education from the Physics Department or a major in another area and a certifiable education minor in physics. Prior to Fall 2011 students were housed in the Department of Educational Studies; the first graduate of the new discipline-based Secondary Teacher Education Preparation (STEP) program was one of the three students who graduated in 2012-2013. Students are licensed in the category Early Adolescence - Adolescence (EA-A) which is grades 6-12.

Future Physics Teachers

Baseline

Project

Post-funding

Year -2

2009-2010

Year -1

2010- 2011

Year 0

2011-2012

Year 1

2012-

2013

Year 2

2013-2014

Year 3

2014-2015

Year 4

2015-

2016

Year 5

2016-2017

Year 6

2017-

2018

Future teachers from all pathways*

5

4

5

9

7

Definition of a Future Teacher at UW-La Crosse: A student who has declared a major in Physics Education and has completed at least one year at UW-La Crosse or another institution (Sophomore standing).

Commentary on Future Physics Teachers data: The list of "Future Teachers" includes the students who graduated during that same academic year. For example, of the six students in the program in 2011-2012, one graduated in Spring 2012; of the nine students in the program in 2012-2013, three of them graduated in Fall 2012. Of the four new students gained in that year, three of them switched their major from physics to physics education and one was previously an undeclared major. In 2013-2014 there were seven future physics teachers and two of them graduated in Spring 2014.

Learning Assistants in Physics Courses

Baseline

Project

Post-funding

Year -2

2009-2010

Year -1

2010- 2011

Year 0

2011-2012

Year 1

2012-

2013

Year 2

2013-2014

Year 3

2014-2015

Year 4

2015-

2016

Year 5

2016-2017

Year 6

2017-

2018

0

0

0

4

7

Commentary on Learning Assistant data:

Spring 2013: Two physics majors assisted with the second-semester Calculus-based course PHY204 and two physics education students assisted with the Physical Science for Educators course PHY106 (for future elementary and middle school teachers)

Fall 2013: Three physics majors assisted in the Calculus-based mechanics course PHY203, one physics education student in the algebra-based E&M class PHY104, and one physics education student in the Physical Science for Educators course PHY106

Spring 2014: Two physics majors assisted with the second-semester Calculus-based course PHY204 and two physics education students assisted with the Physical Science for Educators course PHY106 (for future elementary and middle school teachers)

PHYSICS PEDAGOGY COURSES

Course Number

Course Name

Semester Credit Hours

Primarily for college physics teaching (Y/N)

Primarily for secondary physics teaching (Y/N)

PHY469

Teaching and Learning Science in the Secondary School

4

N

Y

Commentary on Pedagogy Course Data (include a brief description of each course):UW-La Crosse currently does not have a pedagogy course which is exclusively about physics teaching. Future secondary science teachers in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics take a course Teaching and Learning Science in the Secondary School which is the "science methods" course BIO/CHM/PHY 469. Beginning in Fall 2014 there will be a new course Curriculum and Assessment in Math and Science MTH/BIO/CHM/PHY 356 as a recommended elective for science and math education students.

The course Teaching and Learning Science in the Secondary School focuses on instructional planning, instructing and engaging students in learning, and assessing student learning in the context of secondary science classes. Example topics include state and national standards, defining learning objectives (based on Bloom’s Taxonomy and Depths of Knowledge), learning cycle approaches (the 5E instructional model), prior knowledge and misconceptions, active learning strategies, technology tools, laboratory safety, analyzing / reflecting on videotaped teaching, designing formative and summative assessments, and providing feedback on student work. The class includes an embedded clinical field experience in a high school science classroom for 100+ hours during the semester, and students complete assignments for their edTPA teacher performance assessment portfolio (a learning segment of 3-5 lesson plans, a videotaped teaching segment, an assessment with graded student work samples, and the commentaries to accompany each task). The students examine each course topic in the context of their own discipline (Biology, Chemistry, or Physics) which means the content of the course can vary somewhat depending on the student makeup of the course, but is typically split evenly between the three areas.

EARLY TEACHING EXPERIENCES IN PHYSICS

Course Number (if applicable)

Name of course (or program/ experience)

Typical hours per semester

Teaching college students (Y/N)

Teaching K-12 students (Y/N)

BIO/CHM/PHY 469

Teaching and Learning Science in the Secondary School

120

N

Y

Commentary on Early Teaching Experiences in Physics (include a brief description of each):The course Teaching and Learning Science in the Secondary School is UW-La Crosse’s science methods course taken by students in secondary teacher education for Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. The course includes an embedded clinical field experience in a high school science class; it is typically taken by students the semester prior to student teaching. Students are expected to spend 80-100 hours in the classroom during the 15-week semester, but most spend 100-150 hours total.

Commentary on K-8 Physical Science Courses data (include a brief description of each course): Physical Science for Educators is a science elective course taken by students in the early childhood - middle childhood and middle childhood - early adolescence education major programs. The course is taught as integrated lab-lecture and meets twice a week for 2.5 hours. The curricula used match the materials used in K-8 science instruction by the School District of La Crosse, which is adapted from two main sources: the NSF project called Operation Primary Physical Science (OPPS) and the Smithsonian Institution / National Academies / National Science Resources Center Science and Technology Concepts (STC) kits. Most of the OPPS materials are available online at http://www.compadre.org by searching for "OPPS" in the search bar; the first link is the teacher guide and the supplemental documents include the participant/student handouts. Information about the OPPS project is at http://www.nas.edu/rise/examp45.htm. The NSRC STC kits are available for purchase from Carolina® at http://www.carolinacurriculum.com/stc.